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John von Hastings
) Samantha Hastings-Smith (Mother)( ) Affinaria Hastings (Wife)( ) Arsong Moonfang (Daughter, adopted)( ) Theral Hastings (Daughter)( ) Aerithwyn Summerdawn(Sister, adopted)( ) Elendan Hastings(Son, half-elf)( ) ---- |Row 9 title = Allegience |Row 9 info = Grand Alliance * Kingdom of Stormwind **Barony of Seradane * Kaldorei People(Former) ** Knights of Elune(Former) Knights of the Ebon Blade Order of Greyhawk |Row 10 title = Status/Alignment |Row 10 info = /Lawful Neutral |imagewidth = 300}} John Hastings is an afflicted Stormwindian human who is the Husband of Affinaria Hastings and is the Former Marshal of the Fallen Dawn, the Former Baron of Seradane and Former Admiral of the Fifth Fleet of Stormwind. "Determination, Defiance, Family. These are our tenants! Do not forsake them and fight to the death for your family!" "The Horde brought this war to us! We will end this, once and for all! All the chances the Horde were given have been passed up for war. I just pity the Sin'dorei, for they know that the war will be the death of their nation if they do not do anything to change the course." -John's remarks after the Arathi Supply Mission. 38 L.C. History Early Life John Hastings was born out of wedlock thirty years ago. This was not bolding well for the man already. The young boy, without a father to look up to, began to see the Military officers as the best a man can do for one's self, starting a passion of the Army and Navy. The boy was often organizing war games and constantly having sword fights with likeminded boys and girls, resulting in a strong and somewhat skilled swordsman. John, when he became of age to join the military, began the process of applications and outside training(When he could afford it) in order to be physically fit and mentally ready for military life. Military Life 81st Lancers John joined the army when he turned 18 and was assigned to the 81st Lancers. He served in Ashenvale, where he developed a massive pull to elven culture and converted to the Night Elven religion. During his time in Ashenvale, he made a close friend(And lover) with Lieutenant Sarah Smith, a fellow officer and cavalryman. The two, when not busy with their work, often stole time together, talking philosophy and politics. This time was not to last however. On one patrol, Sarah was killed by Horde archers, along with half of the patrol. John went into deep depression afterwards, keeping Sarah's dog tags in honor of her. After several months of depression, John pulled himself together in order to become a capable officer, remaining in Kalimdor until his unit was pulled back to Stormwind for reserve status. The Rangers After several months of no action, John learned of an elite force called the Rangers was recruiting. He transferred units, longing for the haste and thrust of battle. While he initially remained low in the ranks during his first few weeks, John was selected to be Commander Eren's second. John performed his duties to the "T", and personally setting up the Rangers' Board of Medals and Awards Acquisition and Distribution. While the man initially retained his rank, John was promoted to sergeant and second in command to the Vanguard. Even with the amount of responsibility and lack of desire to keep rising in the ranks, John was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and was placed as the second-in-command of the Rangers as a whole, despite his unwillingness to do so. Despite the stress and paperwork he kept getting, as well as the orders for negotiations, John did his job faithfully. This only caused him to be promoted to Commander, making him equal to the division commanders of the Rangers. War of the Thorns The Rangers were some of the first responding forces to the Horde surprise attack. John's ground almost immediately were cut off due to the speed of the Horde advance, which led the group to be surprised and attacked. Despite the several hours of defiant fighting, John's group was slowly whittled down to just John, who's armor was dented and had pieces missing. After a few more minutes, John collapsed from exhaustion. The Next thing John knew, he was chained up and guarded by Dark Rangers. The main reason he was captured was due to his rank, and John was tortured and questioned for information on Alliance Movements up until the Burning of Tedrassil. John was able to break free, having most of the guards leave for other campaigns. John made his way to Lor'danel, only to find the World Tree burning. The survivors of the Campaign were able to teleport him to Stormwind so he could recover. Siege of Tirisfal and Battle for Lordaeron John, after recouping, joined his comrades to partake in the Siege of Tiriasfal. While he was relegated to the defense of the Alliance Base of Operations, John saw two actions that would harden his resolve. The first of the actions was the attempted assassination of Larele Moonfang. While he was overseeing the defenses(or lack there of), John heard a bloody scream come through his Ranger Com. Knowing it was Larele from the sheer terror, John mounted his horse, Valiant, and galloped towards the fallen General. Before him were three Dark Rangers, one he recognized to be one of his torturers, and the other two were connected to Larele. John left into action, not waiting for reinforcements, and began the dance of melee. After fifteen minutes of combat, the two Dark Rangers were on the ground, and the torturer was fleeing. John managed to carry the General back to the Base of Operations, where she was sent to Aerie Peak to prevent further damage. John took up command of the Rangers for the rest of the campaign. John took part in the Battle for Brill, having faced off against a desperate enemy. Despite the numbers involved in the assault, John's group was rebuffed fully after three assaults, inflicting heavy losses on both sides. Despite his group's rebuff, the Alliance were able to enter Brill and force the Horde to the Ruins of Lordaeron, leaving the Forsaken town burning. Note: "His group" is just indicating that the group he was apart of, not that he was leading it. Rangers(cont.) John was soon promoted to High Commander, despite his protests. After the promotion, he was tasked to plan the Invasion of Quel'thalas. While John was extremely reluctant to even undertake the job, he did draft up plans. John attended the funeral to his friend and General, Larele Moonfang, and was shocked when Zeleon Moonfang proposed to Elidravia, causing a massive rift between John and Zeleon, as well as nearly destroying the unity of the Rangers. While the man was shipwrecked and the Rangers' higher-ups got word, John (Under the assumption that he was dead) was made into a Knight of Elune and thus bound to the Kaldorei People. But he was alive and several days after he returned, he was notified that he was knighted. While John took up the mantle humbly, he worried that because of it, he might end up dead before his time. Recent History John went north to partake in the campaign in Arathi Highlands, aiming to prevent his comrades from being cut off and surrounded. While he was engaged, John was recalled back to Stormwind to oversee his daughter's arrest. This ended up having John cutting all his connections to allies and friends as he went deep into the forests of Stormwind, killing whatever moved and ended up covered in blood and gore. After calming, John began looking into establishing his own legacy and his families future. Thus he refounded House of Hastings and the Barony of Seradane, seeking to preserve its culture and provide a home to those who do not have many other options. The Dark Times The Dark Times is what John refers to in relation to his life and the Blood War. Despite the multiple joys of his life, including expecting a child, John fears that the war will make its way to Stormwind, despite the Alliance Dominance in the Eastern Kingdoms. John was made Marshal of the Fallen Dawn(Formerly the Rangers) after Zeleon stepped down from leadership. While he had essentially operating in the same capacity, he was never one to really like titles. He has been pressing for his subordinates for reports and war plans. John himself has been having confidence issues, mainly due the rapid rise to the front of the leadership with a few months. On top of the rapid rise, he has had to prevent one of his trusted friends from killing a 'relative', which put his own trust in his fellow friends and order members into question, with few above scrutiny and suspicions. Those who are above it is Maz, Affinaria, and Errenar, mainly due to many interactions they all have with each other. The Rebirth John, after much thought, he decided to retire and become a reservist. This lifted a huge load from John's shoulders. He began to do multiple introspections, determining whether or not he would continue fighting or remaining neutral in the war. His main introspection was determining whether or not he was even capable of leading even a squad. While he ultimately decided he was capable, he vowed to never take the role of a high commanding officer. He could not handle the stress and was willing to commit "Honorable" suicide at the hands of the enemy. Treaty of Seradane Note: This is not public knowledge, but is officially on the books within Seradane's archives. John made a personal treaty with Sylvosas Songwhisper, his arch rival within the Horde, essentially declaring that they would not take offensive measures against one another. While they may end up fighting each other on the battlefield(due to the war as a whole), Sylvosas and John essentially signed a personal non-aggression pact between Sylvosas, along with her small forces, and the Barony of Seradane. But both made a secret pact as well. An unofficial point in the Treaty stated that the Sin'dorei under the Battlemage's control would be able to settle in Seradane if they wish to AFTER the Blood War's conclusion. Return to the Front Lines John, despite his neutral leanings, has taken up the blade once again to fight for his people. Whether or not he will resume his command has already been determined: no. He was going to rise in the ranks like he did previously. In order to put a cap on his rank, John joined the Remnant of Lordaeron. Ironically, he gained several wounds with his first day. "The Irony here... is that I was wounded the first time I was in the Rangers. But hey, different wounds." -John after being 'carried' out of the barracks in Tyr's Hand. Remnant Life Despite John's dedication to the Grand Alliance as a whole, he found Lordaeron to be a region that needs to be reclaimed in the name of the fallen in the War. He found the less radical group, Remnant of Lordaeron, to be the best option in doing somethin about it. A day after officially joining the Remnant in one of its orders, John sent the Tedrassil's Vengeance Squadron to support Operation: Burning Stone. After receiving word that the fleet was put out of action due to damage, John began laying plans to build a shipyard at Marshtide Watch. John was called up to Nazmir to rescue a man that was recently found out to be alive. Despite the reports, John and the Remnant team were able to make quick work of the Blood Trolls and recovered the man. With the departure of both Kora Deathwhisper and Gaytheil Sunstrike, John began to realize his conflicting duties and loyalties. While he admired the Lordaeroneans for their resilience in the face of near annihilation, John still held a command in the Stormwind Military, as well have his own lands to take care of. After a brief naval skirmish aboard the HMS Redoubt, where he suffered several minor wounds from shrapnel and debris, John began to write a letter of resignation from the Remnant of Lordaeron. He continues to do so. Return to Stormwind's Military Shortly after the resignation, John was content with his small command. But he then began to receive letters requesting his services on a larger scale with the war escalating. After rebuffing several attempts to get word to him of an offer, John was confronted by High Commander Bethany Greycastle. John, after a long talk, finally accepted command of the Fifth Fleet of Stormwind, merging the Marshtide Squadron into said fleet. Supply Mission to Arathi Upon request by the 1st Lion's Shade, the Fifth Fleet was tasked with transporting the force and carrying much needed supplies to Arathi. At about 2030 hours, the fleet set out on their mission, with John's Flagship, the HMS Tedrassil, taking the lead. As the fleet approached Faldir's Cove, the advanced guard intercepted a group of Forsaken ships, beating them back with moderate damage and casualties. However, a group of Forsaken boarded the flagship. John, standing near the wheel, was beset by two Forsaken assassins, and lithely cut them down. He remained at the wheel as the crew and 1st Lion's Shade forces fought the rest of the boarders off. Street Battle with the Southern Partisans While John was strolling in Stormwind City, he happened upon a fight that included the "Enemy of the Crown", the Southern Partisans and elements of the 42nd Regiment, including Jean Luxford. John leapt into action, despite being out of his "jurisdiction". During the fight, a man by the name of Jackson stabbed John in the armpit after popping his right arm out of place. The man sent a punch, knocking his right kneecap out of socket before punching the Admiral across the jaw, popping it out of place. While most of his wounds were reversed, he was still unable to serve for several days. War in Northrend With the Blood War in full swing, John, alongside Bethany Greycastle, planned a campaign against both the Scourge Remnants and Horde Bases. With the Horde beginning to threaten Alliance holdings, especially Valiance Keep, both officers agreed to focus and pacify the enemies located in Borean Tundra. With both the Fleet under his command and the Fifth Royal Marines spearheading the counter offensive know at the War in Borean Tundra, John holds strict confidence in the Alliance forces to be able to strike the Horde down. The campaign turned sour almost immediately. After an initial sally, the Alliance Forces were bombarded in the keep. At the same time, the Naval Forces of both sides waged a massive naval battle, resulting in a pyrrhic victory for the Alliance(see Battle of the Icy Coast). Upon realizing his allies position, John ordered the loading of all forces to board his fleet. Soon after, John ordered the destruction of Valiance Keep, noting that they could not defend it but could not allow the Horde to use for naval operations. Escalation With the losses inflicted upon him and his allies, John began to put his plan into action. He began to gather allies and forces to strike out at Quel'thalas(Operation: Return) in order to force the troublesome Kingdom into withdrawing from the Horde's offensive forces, such as Arathi. "How long must we wait to strike at the Blood Elves? Six months? A year? A decade?! No! We must strike in the next few months before the Sin'dorei decide to fortify the coastline! At least establish and defend a beachhead for further operations!" -John Hastings, as he made plans with his staff. John knew that it would take months to form a sizable force and prepare the fleet for the operation. The Black Blight Epidemic John, while strolling in Lion's Rest, became a carrier of a plague, though his immune system was strong enough to remain healthy. However, he began to infect his fellow soldiers unknowingly. Revelations Upon hearing that his adopted sister was mortally wounded, John made his way towards her and assisted in carrying Aerithwyn to the Cathedral in Stormwind alongside his equal, Bethany Greycastle. Once Aerithwyn was placed down, John revealed himself to be an Elunite follower when he began to sooth the pain of Aerithwyn's healed wounds. Afterwards, John addressed both the 5th Royal Marines and 5th Fleet. "We have been dealt a serious blow by the fools in this city! As such, we will not act as constabulary outside the Harbor!" Alliance Return to Borean Tundra The return to Northrend brought up the casualty rate of the last operation, which made John hesitant to even deploy the fleet. However, unlike last time, the Alliance forces had a more precise plan. While this soothed John's worries to a simmer, he still did not hold his breath for success. The Horde would have built up the defenses and attempted to rebuild the infrastructure that was destroyed in the hasty retreat in the War in Borean Tundra campaign. Upon hearing of accusations of issues during the first Phase of the campaign, John was livid. Upon getting names, John(alongside Bethany) ordered a court martial. Upon realizing the situation, John dropped all charges except on three people, mainly due to their rank and lack of action in countermanding an order that should have been stopped. Upon the recapture and reestablishment of Valiance Keep, John ordered the Campaign to cease, seeing that continuing the campaign would crush his and Bethany's forces. "If we continue, this campaign will crush our forces and we will be only a force on paper! No! WE are not going to continue this campaign! It is too costly. We have what we came back for: The status quo and the resuming of the contest here." -John's remarks on the operation in Valiance Keep. Absorption of the Moonfangs Upon receiving the news that an old friend was loosing his battle against the Whispers, John was instructed to absorb the family to his own. Despite the potential backlash from both the Kaldorei and Stormwind, John agreed to it and absorbed the long standing Moonfang family. Reforms of the Fifth Royal Marines Having seen the dismal performance of the Regiment, John ordered all campaigns to halt until the Regiment was retrained and reequipped. Resignation John, after so many problems rising while the reforms were implemented, nearly succumbed to the pressure. After serious thought, John wrote a letter, stating his resignation of Commanding Officer of the Fifth Marines. He did not deliver it personally, already sailing towards Kalimdor. Life in the Army of the Black Moon John, upon his resignation, immediately went west to Kalimdor in order to serve his Elunite Brothers and Sisters. Being part of the search party for Tyranda Whisperwind, John eventually made his way to Bash'al'aran(?) to defend the High Priestess from the Horde while she continued the ritual. Upon witnessing the ritual, John's hair changed to a pure white and his eye changed from it's emerald hue to the black of the dark side of the moon. Life in undeath Raised into undeath after his untimely demise, John basically followed his thirst for vengeance, and fulfilled it shortly afterwards. Conquest of Zandalar Hearing the call, John signed up to partake in the massive campaign against the Zandalari Empire. He took command of the HMS Tedrassil, and resigned himself to patrol and defense of the transports during the voyage. His first action in combat was to aide in the defense of a refuge alongside elements of the League of Lordaeron and Citrine Eagle, where he was one of the few who remained conscious. After the Combat, John performed a ritual similar to the one that brought his back from the dead, beckoning a death knight of the Citrine Eagle to return to her body. He passed out from the strain, but was ultimately successful in his attempt. After coming too, he began to return to the Shatterstone Harbor. But when he arrived, he saw that the harbor was comprehensively trashed. Upon realizing the situation was dire, he ordered his vessel to enter a patrol in the waters around the Harbor, the crew ready for combat at a moments notice. First Clash with the Onyx Rose Order When on a patrol in Vol'dun, John came upon the aftermath of a pitched battle between the Alliance and Horde, for which he calculated the cost to be severe to both sides. He was ambushed by Valythra Bloodmoon, who was disguised as the Oculus on the Horde side. Though the fighting almost ceased immediately after John demanded to speak with Valythra. Though he did not wish to, he demanded an answer on why Valythra was in Vol'dun or he would be attempting to take her in for interrogation. Despite his best negotiation efforts, conflict erupted again, with the initial blow from John's Runeblade, Elune's Vengeance, biting deep into Valythra's torso, effectively incapacitating her and leaving her to lay in the sand as the death knight fought the Half Dwarf Malaise, throwing magics of unholy and arcane origin. Despite Malaise's initial escape, John was able to quickly catch up to the two fleeing women, charging them down. Despite Valythra's attempts to cloak the two, John's assault weakened the San'layn enough to prevent a full cloak. Though he did charge past, he regrouped and charged uphill towards the two, slicing towards Malaise's chest, with his strike landing home. Though before he could finish the job, a troll by the name of Kusylla intervened and bought time for the two Onyx Rose members to escape. The battle continued, with John thrown from his steed only to have the death knight counter attack at the mount of the Troll, only to be delayed in his blow, though he was successful in disabling the mount. He would continue clashing with the Shadow Hunter, until a fight between a large gryphon and a large snake interrupted the two, forcing the combat to break before one of the two were forced by other means. He rode up to Andurius Soulrender, his armor clearly scratched from the combat. The two observed the fight between the snake and gryphon, rooting for the Gryphon. The Capture John, being a man of persistence, set out for another attempt to find Valythra. After being forced into a cave due to a sand storm, John was able to capture the San'layn with the help of two Nerubians who showed up last minute. The Runeblade, Elune's Vengeance, was seized and sent through a death gate, to the Onyx Rose Keep's reliquary. The Death Knight was angered, though he refrained from killing the San'layn. After a night of interrogation by Soreka Blackblood, and a Paladin. Though it was interrupted by and assault upon the Teldrassil by a Priestess of Grao(?), for which pulled John into the waters. The two brawled in the water, but the death knight was able to hold his own underwater. After recovering and getting back aboard the Frigate, returning to his interrogation. While the details were known by very few, John soon began to grow sympathetic to the Valythra's condition of feralism, for himself was close to it in life as a Worgen. Upon finishing his questioning, he did all he could to feed the San'layn before trading her for his runeblade with Tyrinade Moonsong. Despite the threat of Tyrinade's vengeance, John actually welcomed the challenge. Departure from the Campaign After Tyrinade's rather selfless act to bring a Wounded Alliance officer by the name of Nawar Wildspeaker to the Alliance Camp in Nazmir, to John's dismay and horror, the Alliance officer, by the command of the leader of the Pact, unloaded spells and steel into the San'layn, the latter escaping barely with her life. Upon what he witnessed, he straight up left the Campaign all together, with the Teldrassil slipping away under cover of night. Founding of the Order of Greyhawk Intending to break away from the Alliance and form that family connection he missed, John, alongside Zaeliya Stormarrow, formed the Order of Greyhawk with the following goals: # Defend one another as family. # Strike at potential threats in the world. # Gather power by any means necessary to defend themselves and their allies. The Fall John, conducting a patrol off the coast of the Eastern Plaguelands, soon when missing while commanding the ''HMS Redoubt'', which was destroyed by the Silvermoon, a Sunhawk-class destroyer. He soon washed ashore after several days. Knowing his location was in the Ruins of the Scarlet Enclave, he was already wary. He also ventured too close to the Onyx Rose Order's base of operations in the Plaguelands. Rivalries Valythra Bloodmoon - Sparked by the first contact and almost immediate clash afterwards, John and Valythra would enter a rivalry of sorts after gaining the upper hand over the San'layn. Though they have only clashed once, it appeared that the Death Knight proved to be the superior fighter in open combat, having crippled Valythra with their first clash. Quotes "Zeleon, this was a stupid descision! And because of that, the Rangers are divided with their views on your leadership!" -John's remarks to Zeleon's proposal to his love, while attending the funeral for Larele. "This war... is going to take lives. Let us just hope it is a quick war..." -John's remarks upon the war before the Burning of Teldrassil. "All the death, and all because of one's own ego... and over a lifeblood..." -John in a quiet conversation after the Failure of the Borean War. Philosophy(ies) John, despite his current status, rather take up menial tasks when needed. He rather not forget how he rose through the ranks: Through dedication and action. As an officer, John holds himself and similar senior officers under strict scrutiny. He holds his higher ups to a stronger standard. The lower ranked officers and enlisted, unless proven to be a trouble, won't fall under the same scrutiny. "If you are helping your self, and having trouble, just ask and people will come to your aid. If not... well you are not going to get much help." Personality Having grown up in the presence of Military Personnel, John is a bit of a two-sided man in terms of attitude. On the one hand, John is a good man to be around with when he is out of the Uniform. He is willing to drink, have fun, smoke, and reading. On the other hand, he is all professional with interactions when in uniform, and occasionally reprimanding those of other branches and services. Hobbies Public * Report reading from other branches * Flying and riding with his infant adopted daughter * Spending time with his family * Study the history of various cultures(possible for nefarious reasons) * Upholding the law within his limits Private * Authorizing potentially illegal weapons within his Barony * Assisting Horde(Civilian) Refugees to escape the war Short Stories Life in Camp as Enlisted John was at his tent in Ashenvale, shaving his 19 year old face. He still wore parts of his armor: His Breastplate, Leg Plates, Belt and Boots. "Boy... the Higher Ups have it good..." He muttered as his Superior, Lieutenant Sarah Smith, walked up to his tent. "Well aren't you a bundle of joy, Corporal Hastings." The woman of 20 years old sat across from John, in her 'military casual' as she says. She wore a leather jerkin paired with leather leggings and boots. "Sarah, you are not in uniform and I'm barely in mine. What's up?" Sarah sighed. "I need you to come with me on a patrol in two days." John raised a brow. "What for and where?" "Mainly along the river. The Commander wants it to be monitored for Horde crossings." John stopped mid-shave. "He does know that is something that cannot be done in the open like he wants, right? Is it because we've been voicing our concerns on the patrols themselves?" "Highly likely, but we must follow orders..." Sarah sighed. The two began to chat it up through the night... Being Raised into Undeath Written by Kora Deathwhisper. Time and reality seemed to distort on the other end of the portal, finally tearing after several seconds after the popping and crackling of arcane energy. A prominent smell of ozone lingered in the area, and before long the Knight and Valiant pushed through the other side. There was a pop and a crackled behind Kora as reality and time collapsed back in on itself and the portal fizzled out of existence. The smell of ozone hung around like the smell of smoke, but it didn’t bother Kora much, if at all. Glancing around the area, the Knight took a few moments to allow her mind to catch up with what had just happened. The cooler air of the North greeted her once her senses acquainted themselves with reality, as did the sounds of the Hinterlands. She took a moment to ensure John’s corpse hadn’t fallen off Valiant’s backside and to readjust herself in the saddle before spurring Valiant forward towards the lands of Lordaeron. Valiant’s saronite-shoed hooves beat mercilessly against the worn stone path, his gait and pace never changing, never tiring. Coupled with the hoof beats, the clanking and jingling of both Valiant’s barding and Kora’s armor and the jangling of John’s armored corpse against Valiant’s croup. It was almost like a song, beautiful in its simplicity, but deadly all the same. Kora sat perched upon the saddle, her back rigid and arms locked into position with her hands grasping the reigns with a vice-like grasp, her eyes forward and locked on the road ahead. They were like two glowing topazes set upon a face of ashen marble, a visage of ice and frozen malice, accented by a fiery brow and crowned by a curly copper colored mane that bounced to and fro with Valiant’s gait. All of which contrasted starkly with her darkened saronite armor, giving her quite the startling visage. Like an omen of Death, the Ebon Knight and her steed rode through the country pathways of the Hinterlands, sapping what little heat persisted in the crisp winter air and what life lay in the plants amongst the roads, withering them into brown husks. The Pale Rider road for hours upon hours, until finally she broke the border between the Hinterlands and the dark, dead lands of Lordaeron, her home. As if announcing her arrival, a thunderous clash echoed through the heavens, rumbling towards the south before fading away. Soon the wind would pick up, blowing gently from the north and whipping around horse and rider as they pushed on northward. Kora would afford a single glance to the gray, overcast sky just as the few drops of rain began to fall. It pinged lightly off her and Valiant’s armor, offbeat and erratic from the deathly song of clanking armor and pounding hooves. As the storm rolled in from the north, the rain grew stronger and the pinging of drops against plate soon joined the song of death and grew almost indistinguishable from each other. Kora spurred Valiant’s flank, pushing the undead horse as fast as he could physically run towards the Plaguelands. The Rider cared not for what roads she took, but went wide to avoid the ruins of the Scarlet Enclave to the southeast. Valiant galloped past each of the Watchtowers, proud and headstrong, allowing Kora to glance up to each of them as they rode forth. She could feel the eyes of the Crusaders and Paladins who manned them upon her, judging and damning the undead abominations of rider and horse; none saw fit to stop her or her horse, and Kora knew they wouldn’t try. A knowing smirk, full of disdain and hatred for the hypocritical Paladins of the newly reformed Silver Hand crossed the Knight’s face as she continued on down the road, tearing her eyes from the watchtowers and laying them on the road ahead. “Do you see, John? Do you see the true glory of the Silver Hand?” Kora said, giving a glance over her shoulder at John’s corpse, who lay draped over the croup of the war horse she rode on. “They hide within their ivory towers, constructed high above the common folk. Perched upon hills like majestic eagles, they look down their beaks at the common swallow in disdain and spend their gold on opulent armor and weapons, on fine linens and silks to cover their bodies and clothe their beds. They cower behind such wealth and splendor to cover the shame of their failure to purge the Scourge from Lordaeron, and their failure to protect their people, my people. They should have remained in the past, in the dark nothingness that is Lordaeron’s history. Remained where the Light abandoned them, and where Death itself swallowed them whole.” Kora paused her soliloquy and glanced over her shoulder to look at John, who’s only answer was to bounce lifelessly on the back of Valiant. Kora gave a single, harsh laugh and looked forward to return her eyes to the road. “You will understand and concur soon enough, John. In the end, Death and Decay comes for us all, regardless of time spent waiting. We shall all meet our end in that cold, frozen embrace.” Kora fell silent not too long after that, her cold eyes glancing up at the sentries of the last tower they passed. The Paladins that stood atop it sad nothing, noting the tabard the Rider Upon a Pale Horse wore. The storm that tore through the heavens and the downpour drowned out most of her speech, but the Knight swore she heard one of them curse her. She scoffed and continued on, up towards the Noxious Glade, up towards John’s rebirth. True to its name, the air of the Glade was choked with plague spores from the enormous mushrooms and the ground was dead and filled to the brim with nasty weeds. Large thickets of thorny, constricting bushes grew all over the place, blocking the way for Valiant to move anywhere but a large path, worn down by the dozens of Scourge denizens that moved through the area during the Third War and after. Kora’s aura was better seen here in the Noxious Glade, as the spores that were closest to her froze and withered, falling to the ground like a twisted joke of a snowflake. Their falling left a large void around the Ebon Knight, glaringly obvious in the brownish air of the glade. So thick was the cloud of spores, that not even the wind nor the rain of the thunderstorm above washed them from the air. But yet, neither bid the Knight no trouble as she pushed Valiant forward, up the path and to the opening of the largest Ziggurat. The foyer within dormant Ziggurat was barely lit, with the rays of what little ambient light there was barely managing to penetrate a foot or two into the yawning, ominous entrance. The darkness within the building seemed to hungrily devour whatever light managed to make it inside. It was a fitting picture for what the Ebon Knight had meant to use the ziggurat for, and Kora herself couldn't help but smile at the irony of such an occurrence. Drawing nearer to the building, even Valiant, a stalwart and headstrong warhorse, seemed hesitant to enter. Stamping his hooves, the undead warhorse would go no further. Kora gave an irritated snort, and swung her leg over the saddle, stepped down and removed her last foot from the stirrup. Grabbing an unlit torch from Valiant's saddlebag, the Knight used a flint and steel to light it. Seizing and attaching John's sword to her belt, the fiery haired woman turned and grasped John’s corpse by the shoulders, and tossed him over her shoulder much like one would a bag of potatoes.Situating him so that he wouldn’t slip, the Ebon Knight turned and approached the entrance to the Ziggurat. The warm light cast by the torch was quickly swallowed by the darkness within, reaching only a few feet around the Knight, just enough for her to navigate the interior of the ziggurat. It was welcoming how the darkness enveloped Kora like an embrace from an old, dear friend, and how much dormant necromantic energy dwelt within. It was odd, being in a place that was so silent, yet so full of power, but familiar all the same. The air itself was charged with such unholy energy that it would be so much easier for her to perform the ritual needed to reattach John Hastings’ soul to his corpse, and to animate lifeless tissue with the essence of undeath. A ghost of a smirk crossed Kora’s lips as she continued onward, the thudding of saronite boots a thunderous, steady applause in the grim darkness and deathly silence. As she drew closer to the main room of the Ziggurat, there was the barest hint of natural light once again, just enough to illuminate a lone, ornate stone slab. Carved from the blackest of rock and accented with saronite, it stood as a monument to the Scourge, untouched by the Paladins of the twin Crusades and by the newly reformed Silver Hand. Drawing closer, Kora could just manage to make out the slab’s details in the light from the torch. It was not only adored by saronite but carried on its four corners humanoid skulls, whose jaws hung agape, like they were screaming. The stone was carved with depictions of rituals upon its sides, and the closer Kora drew near, the more she came to realize it had been covered in blood, stained ages past. A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the large room for a split second before disappearing, leaving the torch to be the only thing that shed any light. Kora set the torch on the altar’s top, and reached up to grasp John to set him down. She dropped him a bit too hard, allowing his skull to bounce off the stone, casting the crack of bone and the the clang of plate armor to pierce through the silence, causing the Knight gave a chortle at her harsh handling of the corpse. She stood there for a moment or two, taking in the dormant power of the Ziggurat. “How fitting a place, is it not?” Kora spoke, her voice echoing in the empty, abandoned halls. “The place of your rebirth was the place of death for many others, victims of the Cult of the Damned. The energy that permeates this place, the death magic and the unholy residue cast from such magics, will be the same energy that powers you, John. The same energy that powers me, that powers all Knights before and after. How flattering is to be born of the same as I and many knights that came before you?” Of course, there was no response from the corpse and Kora turned back to her torch to continue what she had planned. The Knight picked up the torch that burned steadily on the altar near John’s body and held it near his body to study his ashen, neutral face. It was like stone, as pale as death himself and his skin seemed to have lost its tautness and had sank into his skull. Kora shifted her glowing blue eyes, down to the wound that had taken his life. Her free hand reached forward and brushed against the sutures that the mortician had used to sew the wound closed. Pinching the first stitch between an index finger and her thumb, Kora began to tear the sutures out, each one slicing a neat little line through the thin flesh of John Hastings’ neck. “You shan’t need these soon.” Came her voice. “Remain here, and don’t wander off.” There was much more that this Ziggurat held, and she could feel whatever it was calling her from deep within. She would follow. Heeding the call, the Knight pushed further into the darkness, moving until the call grew stronger and stronger until the Knight laid eyes on the cause. A dimly lit runeforge, dormant and unused for years since the Lich Knight last showed his face, pulsed softly the closer the Knight drew to it. Kora stopped just a few yards away from it, a smirk crossing her lips. Raising a hand into the air, the Knight pulled the surrounding energies from the ziggurat and poured them into the sleeping runeforge. It glowed brighter, the enormous skull that made the majority of the forge seemed to open it’s maw wider, hungrily accepting whatever energies the red haired woman poured into it. Finally, it sparked and came to life, the eyes of the stone skull looking down at Kora, as if watching to see what she would do. Drawing John’s sword from its sheath, she held the hilt in one fist, and the point between her thumb and finger of her other hand. Carefully extending it forward, she placed it within the forge where it glowed and began to float in the middle. Kora raised a hand and began the process of Runeforging the weapon into a proper runeblade for John. Up and down the length of the blade did she carve the necessary runes to channel the unholy frost, death and blood magics Death Knight used. It was such tedious yet intricate work, using the death magics to carve the runes; if Kora applied too much pressure the blade would shatter, too little and it would be too difficult to carve them. Kora knitted her brow in concentration as she balanced the amount of magic and force necessary to carve them from crossguard to point on both sides of the weapon. The forge glowed with every finished rune, cementing them within the blade’s metal. The process warped the metal, shifting from its previous silver shine to a blackened metal, with an appearance much like obsidian. Kora flipped the blade, continuing to etch the runes on the opposite side of the blade to finish creating the runeblade. Finishing the runeforging, the Knight ceased her magics and reached into the forge to pull the blade from the pedestal. It was remarkably light, and the runes remained dim as Kora refused to put anymore of her own magics into the blade. This was John’s weapon, the same one he’d laid down next to her’s that night in Darkshire and it was his duty to fill the blade with his own magic. The once pure light of Elune that illuminated from it was snuffed out and replaced with the runic magics Kora used to engrave it. It was balanced, sharp and prepared to receive it’s master, so Kora sheathed the blade to return to John. Grabbing the torch, the knight turned on her heel, casting the sound of jingling mail and plate through the ziggurat. It was time. The main room was much as she had left it and John’s lifeless corpse hadn’t moved an inch, just as instructed. He still lay on his back, head rolled back to where he was looking up at the wall above his head. Left arm was draped across his torso and the right was hanging off the edge of the altar. John looked like he’d had a rough night drinking, minus the large laceration from ear to ear that now hung open thanks to Kora’s removal of the sutures. It was a tad strange for her to see him in such a status, no breath, no movement. She remembered that time she had caught him in the Eastweald with that Sin’dorei, how alive and how strong he was. In truth, it struck her as odd to see him brought so low. A slit throat was the hallmark of an assassin, or someone who enjoyed executions. Someone who enjoyed watching their enemies die slow, painful deaths. Kora reached forward to brush a strand of his hair out of his eyes, and lowered her hand to trace the open wound from end to end. How she would’ve liked to be there when this wound was inflicted. Feeling him suffer would have been such an intimate moment for them. The Knight jerked her hand back, revulsion at the thought coursing through her core. These were terrible, disgusting thoughts and she hated that she had them and it showed on her face in an angry, vile scowl. The Knight turned away, placing her back to John’s corpse, her eyes resting upon the wall ahead. She remained that way for several moment, eyes locked on the wall that was barely lit by the torch she carried. Several thoughts crossed her mind, and she glanced back at John to study his body once more. After a moment, she turned to fully face him and dropped her torch. It felt, clattering to the ground with such a loud clack that it echoed through the halls and reverberated back to the Knight. Kora shook her head, kicking the torch away from her so she didn’t step on it during the ritual. It was time to begin. Reaching up to the belt that held her runeblade’s scabbard against her back, the Knight unclasped it and grasped the blade by the scabbard and by the hilt. Pulling both apart, the blade would sing its characteristic, lamenting wail. It joined the unholy, vile energy that saturated the building, awaking it and causing the entire ziggurat to vibrate with the awakened energy. Her runeblade, now completely free of its blackened leather scabbard, pulsed with the energy the ziggurat held. Its icy blue runes glowed with such a hot, white color as it freely drank, hungerily lapping and swallowing whatever energy it could. It sung so highly that it’s wail was now fully melded with the vibration of the energy with the room, and caused Kora to lift it high into the air, a look of pure malevolent joy plastered on her face. The power here was so intoxicating, so invigorating that Kora had no reason to doubt Arthas’s reasons for what he did. Here she was, merely feeding off the dormant magics in a lone Scourge Ziggarut, and she knew that if she were offered more of the same, she would gladly take it. Her pale lips spread, revealing a grin so wicked and devilish that it could have stopped a heart cold. The blade itself began to vibrate, as its capacity was filled to the brim and soon Kora knew what was coming next. Pulling the ancient tome from under her cloak, she unclipped it from her belt and opened to the spell she needed. Inhaling deeply, the Knight began to read from the tome, keeping her blade held high and feeding off the energies of the ziggurat. The blade’s rune pulsed, glowing with a light so bright that it illuminated the room. The wind from the outside whipped through the ziggurats hallways, whirling around, around and around the Knight and turning colder than a blizzard. The Knight bit her lip between incantations, already feeling the enormous amount of strain and power it took to do such a ritual, but yet she kept on. Continuing to read from the black tome, the Knight spoke ancient Nerubian words, summoning the energies and preparing to tear asunder the boundary between the waking world and the shadowlands. Energy crackled and popped from Kora’s runeblade and soon an arc of unholy, sickly green energy erupted from the blade’s point and tore a hole between the two planes just above John’s corpse, creating a temporary portal between the living world and the spirit realm. Immediately Kora felt the presence of other souls and soon the world began to be filled with screams of terror and the room grew colder than it was, so cold that Kora began to feel it herself. Icicles formed on both her and John’s armor out of the moisture of the ambient environment, subsequently broken off by the miniature hurricane that ripped through the ziggurat. Kora’s runeblade echoed with their wails, it’s lamenting cry shifting to resemble their own as it began to devour them. The runes along the side of the blade glowed a deep black as the sword converted the energy of the souls into the powerful essence of undeath Kora needed to animate John’s corpse and give it the power hers had. Continuing to chant the spell, the sword ceased to power the now self sustaining portal and Kora lowered it to point at John’s corpse. Immediately the blade began to pump its energy into the still corpse, filling its bones, flesh and organs with the essence of undeath. At first nothing happened with John, but before long the body began to twitch here and there, a muscle would coil under ashen flesh, or a hand or foot would shift ever so slightly. Before long it looked as if John was having a full on seizure, his body shaking, hands clenching and relaxing and jaw moving up and down as if trying to speak. Speaking in the ancient Nerubian tongue, Kora poured all the energy her sword had devoured into John’s cadaver and before long, he fell still. The wound on his neck had sealed, leaving a thin line that was paler than the rest of his flesh and he didn’t move. Kora could feel that there was unlife within, but with no soul, the body wouldn’t move like she could. The portal above the fully charged corpse shimmered in the darkness, but it was blacker than black. Darker than the room she was in, it was like staring into the Great Dark Beyond herself. The Knight paused in her ritual, tome opened in one hand and runeblade held leveled in the other, Kora stood and stared into the abyss. She found herself wondering if she would be able to find the spirits of her children and her husband within. After a moment, she shook her head, deciding that she didn’t wish for her children to see her as the very thing that devoured them, undead. Inhaling a breath of shockingly cold air, the Knight aimed the point of her blade at the portal once again and began to chant the last and final part of the ritual. Here she would call John’s soul forth and forcefully reattach it to his body for eternity, or until the next time he was killed. The same sickly green energy shot from Kora’s runeblade, piercing the blackened portal. Kora repeated John’s full name within the spell she spoke, calling the man’s soul forward so that she may reattach it to his corpse. Nothing happened for several moments of her chanting the incantation over and over again, but soon the Knight began to see vision in her mind’s eye. She could see John, both his hands at his throat as blood seeped through his fingers, down his arms and onto the ground. She could feel his suffering, and feel how he tried to scream for help and for air as his blood ran down his throat and filled his lungs. A terrible death it was, to choke on your own blood. There was a scream, this time in John’s voice and it echoed down the halls and around the Knight. She had succeeded in calling him forward, and so began the second chant to chain soul to body. A ghostly apparition appeared at the mouth of the portal to the Shadowlands, its hands grasping its neck and attempting to scream. Kora could tell it was John, but the apparition was faceless and without form, a solid black figure. It struggled and fought against the unholy energies keeping it as a prisoner, but to no avail. The spell forced it down, lowering the spirit towards the reanimated but still corpse, down and down until it merged with the body and the apparition disappeared. Kora chanted, her voice raising high above the din of coursing energy, binding soul to corpse and forever sealing John’s fate.John’s entire body jerked and he opened his eyes, mouth opened and locked in a silent scream. A wicked smile crossed Kora’s face once again as she closed her tome and reattached it to her belt, finished both the spell and the ritual. The energy that powered the ritual remained in the room for some time, allowing the Knight to sheath her blade and replace both where they were before. The portal shifted, warping in on itself before the portal finally collapsed in on itself with a explosive pop and cast the room into darkness once again, hiding both Knights in the shadows. Kora closed her eyes as the portal collapsed, hiding her completely in the darkness of the Ziggurat. She could hear John groan, and the scraping of plate against stone as he moved to sit up on the edge of the altar he was reborn on. There was murmuring, as if he was trying to talk but was unable to properly form words. Kora scoffed softly, eyes opening finally. Both appeared as if they were floating, glowing blue topazes in the darkness, locking on John’s own now blue eyes. The Knight paused, studying his eyes when a thought struck her: She didn’t remember what color his eyes were originally. “Never you mind.” Kora spoke. “It will be strange at first, attempting to speak. You have been dead for a few days now and your mind needs time to adjust to its new situation. You have a lot to learn and not only just how to walk and speak again. Come, John, I have much to teach you.” Kora paused, unclipping his sword from her belt and tossed it at him. The sound of leather hitting mail echoed, registering that he had caught it. “You’ll need this.” Written By Kora Deathwhisper. Relationships(Family and Friends) Aria Shadeclaw These two lovebirds met soon after John transferred to the Rangers, quickly falling in love and marrying. It was not long before a child was beginning to form in Aria. But due to a warlock, she had a miscarriage. Larele, who was with child herself, offered to have her daughter to be adopted by the couple. While john remained on the front lines, Aria stayed home to take care of the child. Larele Moonfang(Diseased) John and Larele are close friends who have shared battles over the brief time in the same order. John proved to Larele to be a capable officer and advanced him up the ranks in the short time, often appointing John as her second or the commander when she was in dispose. Zeleon Moonfang Oh boy... John and Zeleon have a tense relationship to say the least. Maz Dearun These two have a rough-housing relationship. John considers Maz to be a trusted confidant in sensitive matters regarding many issues, and often is consulting her in certain matters. Mengersh Barrancas John and Meng still communicate despite going their separate ways after their time in the 81st Lancers. Liam Yorkson Despite the constant explosions and coffee of his engineering, John considers Liam to be a good friend and a man of honor and integrity. Kora Deathwhisper Upon entering the Remnants, John and Kora developed a friendly relationship, often sharing with each other personal information and feelings from the past and current. Shortly after Kora left the Remnant, John left himself and cited her departure as one of the unofficial reasons why he resigned his commission with the Remnants. Bethany Greycastle Upon appointment, John entered a professional relationship with Bethany. Having extended experience, John often advises the Lord-Commander in matters of war, especially in the War in Borean Tundra, where he advised her to pull the Fifth Royal Marines out of Valiance Keep. Gaythiel Sunstrike John has had a distant relationship with the Ren'dorei, often kept away from each other to form permanent relationships. However, John holds the Ren'dorei in high regard(one of the few) for her service and willingness to adapt to the best of her abilities. Aerithwyn Summerdawn The second-in-command and adopted brother, John and Aeri practically bonded together quickly. Sharing the common distaste of Humanity's double speak, John adopted Aerithwyn in order to place her under his protection. When he is not on campaign, he often visits his sister in order to check up on her. Appearances Scars John, having seen extensive combat in his ten years of service, bears numerous scars. The most visible ones that most see are across his face. John bears a scar afros the bridge of his nose, several across his cheeks and neck, and one over his right eye. Most of his other scars are hidden, only known by his closest friends and advisors. These include several deep scars across his chest, several shallow scars on his arms and legs and several puncture scars on his shoulders. Armor John often uses his older Stormwind Armor or his newer "Knight" armor with purple hues. Both sets bear many dents. But always, his Stormwind Tabard is displayed with pride. Uniform A blue and gold Bicorne is often on his head. His uniform is a navy blue with the Admiral shoulder rank on both shoulders. Over his left breast is his accolades from left to right: Blood War Campaign with 4 stars Broken Isle Campaign Alliance-Horde War Campaign Distinguished Service Unit Citation His Cutlass has a gold and blue braid handing off the guard. His Sleeve cuffs have a gold embroidering. He often wears leather gloves with his uniform. Weapons/Extra Equipment John, now a death knight, wields the corrupted blade, Elune's Vengeance(formerly Elune's Justice) in combat. This is his only weapon. Other John has grey hair, probably due to the stress, despite being Thirty Years Old. He has the dog tags of Sarah Smith around his neck along with his own dog tags and locket of his family. As a man of humble beginnings, John hardly even state his accolades, let alone display them while in uniform. Only his rank is shown while in uniform. Personality Traits Though he will state his rank and titles when he first meet people, he almost immediately goes into a more humble and down to earth stance. When not in combat, John tends to keep to himself and talk to a limited few often, most from his time in the Rangers and Fallen Dawn. When in combat, John is decisive, commanding, and ironically inspiring for troops in the fields of battle. Most of this has come from experience and the Worgen Curse, using both in combination as best as he could. Often equipped appropriately for the operation he is apart of and his dual blades, many can sight his as a pillar to rally behind. Music/References * Voice is Morgan Freeman * Light in the Black-Sabaton * Resist and Bite-Sabaton Signature Family Affinaria Hastings- The wife of John Hastings, Affinaria(or Aria) is a Kaldorei Druid who ends up staying with their adopted child, Arsong Moonfang, while John is away on business, unfortunately. Thera Hastings- The 'Teenager' of Kaldorei society, Thera is his, albeit troublesome, daughter that resembles thJohn a little bit too much. Arsong Moonfang- The last Child of Larele Moonfang, John considers Arsong his flesh and blood and tries to make time to see her whenever possible. Aerithwyn Summerdawn- The adopted sister of John and trusted second in command of the Fifth Fleet, Aeri was taken in upon John hearing that her family was destroyed by the Forsaken. Military Service Note: Dates are directly from the wiki's dates and the direct participation of the character for these events. Currently John is honing his necromantic abilities in order to make himself more to fight more effectively. Positions Held Trivia * John, when not at ceremonies, is often overlooking reports and other Seradane related information. * He goes through armor like it is nothing, mainly due to frontline action. * John, while he does not admit it, has a large amount of respect for the 42nd, especially Commander Everhurst and Knight-Lieutenant Luxford. * John has two adopted Daughters, Arsong and Thera. * John still regrets the loss of his good friend, Lt Sarah Smith, while serving in the Alliance-Horde War. * Due to the Worgen Curse, he is more prone to 'snap', but he often holds it in until no one sees his true rage. However, his discipline and faith has it pretty much under complete control, with little in the way of snapping * While John is relaxing, which is rare, he is spending time with his family. * John, having humble beginnings, is not fond of nobility manners, only using them when absolutely necessary. * John rarely participates in the House of Nobles for two reasons: His Barony has no influence and is too far away to be even be worried about. Gallery File:John_Hastings_2.png| File:John_Hastings.jpg| File:My_armor.png| WoWScrnShot_101218_181648.jpg| Category:Characters Category:Human Category:Worgen Category:Army Officers Category:Alliance Officers Category:Grand Alliance Category:Grand Alliance Navy Category:Grand Alliance Army Category:Stormwind Peerage Category:Stormwindian Category:Stormwind Navy Category:Fifth Royal Marine Regiment Category:Barony of Seradane Category:Death Knights Category:Order of the Ebon Blade